(Thousand Palms, Calif.) – At a pre-Earth Day ceremony Friday, Senator Jeff Stone, Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia and other officials will celebrate a $12.5 million grant from California Climate Investments for five new zero-emission New Flyer fuel cell buses. The grant also supports the development of the largest hydrogen fueling station in the U.S. of its kind, from Hydrogenics, using electricity and renewable energy to generate clean hydrogen.

The grant is part of the state’s historic effort to use proceeds from the climate change cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gases, including a widespread effort to promote low carbon transit such as hydrogen-powered or electric buses throughout California, with a special focus on serving disadvantaged communities.

Friday’s speakers and attendees will include Senator Jeff Stone and Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, California Air Resources Board member Barbara Riordan, and representatives from New Flyer and Hydrogenics – the companies contracted to build the new buses and to upgrade a heavy duty hydrogen refueling station as part of the grant award. Clean Cities Coachella Valley will also be on site to help kick off Earth Day celebrations.

“We are honored to be the recipient of this pilot project that will deploy new zero-emission buses for our community and allow us to upgrade our existing hydrogen infrastructure for fueling the proposed fuel cell fleet as well as public use,” said Lauren Skiver, CEO/General Manager of SunLine Transit Agency.

“SunLine has a longstanding commitment to the environment with our clean fuels fleet – which helps us do our part to ensure our natural resources are preserved for future generations.”

SunLine will operate the proposed buses daily on two regular routes from Indio to Mecca/Oasis that provide a 98% coverage of disadvantaged communities. The project will collect 12 months of performance data to be used to help further commercialization of fuel cell technology.

New Flyer, the market leader in zero-emission buses, is the only North American transit bus manufacturer offering all three types of zero-emission propulsion systems including hydrogen fuel cell-electric, battery-electric and trolley-electric buses. Hydrogenics Corporation is a world leader in engineering and building hydrogen technology, providing hydrogen generation, energy storage and hydrogen power modules to customers and partners around the world.

About California Climate Investments: The $12.5 million grant award is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities. The cap-and-trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution.

California Climate Investment projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are made in disadvantaged and low-income communities. For more information, visit caclimateinvestments.ca.gov.

About SunLine Transit Agency: SunLine Transit Agency is a joint powers authority formed in 1977 to operate the Coachella Valley’s public transportation system. SunLine offers fixed route bus service and curb-to-curb paratransit for the mobility impaired. Its fixed route and paratransit vehicles travel more than 4 million miles per year, covering over 619 bus stops located throughout a 1,120 mile-service area, carrying approximately 4.82 million riders. SunLine Services Group regulates three taxi franchises who provide taxi services throughout the Valley. SunFuels alternative fueling station offers compressed natural gas and hydrogen for SunLine and the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, go to sunline.org.